Snape's True Colours
by liberator of captured angels
Summary: As Dumbledore muses after the downfall of Voldemort, he receives a visit from someone unexpected. A deeper insight into why Dumbledore trusted Snape. Preseries one shot.


**Disclaimer: **Yeah, right. Like I _really _own Harry Potter, or any of its characters. Come on people. Get real.

**Snape's True Colours**

The wizarding world was in celebration. For eleven years, the world had been ravaged by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, and it seemed as if his reign of terror was finally over.

One person, however, that was not celebrating was Albus Dumbledore. Despite telling Minerva McGonagall that he understood why the wizarding world was celebrating, he still felt sorrow at the loss of two outstanding people. He knew that it should be enough that little Harry was safe, but it was not. Lily and James had been two of the school's finest students

Besides this, he was not entirely sure that Voldemort was really gone. After all, the prophecy that Sybil Trelawney had made said that the person who was to destroy – or be destroyed by – Voldemort, the person he now knew was Harry, would be "marked by the Dark Lord as his equal." He had not been marked as an equal before this night, and so Professor Dumbledore was sure that poor little Harry's troubles were only beginning, not least because of the family he had been placed into the care of.

It was for this reason that he had invoked an ancient protection spell on the home of the Dursleys. Harry would be safe in the home of his Aunt, because his mother's blood still ran in the veins of Petunia Dursley. Safe, that is, until he turned seventeen.

* * *

Dumbledore was musing on this thought until he heard a tapping at the window. He saw a barn owl, with a message tied to its leg. He let the owl in, and took its letter.

He unfurled the parchment. The note said:

_Have something to confess. Am going to Floo into your office at around 7 o'clock. Be prepared._

_S.S._

There was only one person he knew with those initials.

* * *

At a quarter past seven, as Dumbledore was staring into the fire, he noticed a dark figure appear.

As the man stepped out of the fire, he said amiably, "Good evening, Severus. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Is it true?" the man asked urgently, "Did the Dark Lord go to the P-Potters and k-kill them?"

"Severus, why such concern? After all, it was on the information that you yourself procured from Sybil Trelawney that he decided to kill their son. Is it, perhaps, that you want to know if the rumours are true that your master is dead?" asked Dumbledore.

"Of course not! Had it been anyone else, that may have been so, but-," Snape suddenly broke into tears.

"Why specifically the Potters? After all, I know there was certainly no love lost between you and James. Is it perhaps that you feel you owed him for saving your life?" asked Dumbledore.

"No! I never owed him anything! He knew that if I were to be killed, he would be in as much trouble as Black!" Snape was shouting by now.

"Then what is the reason for your concern? Why should I not turn you in to the Aurors right now?" asked Dumbledore.

There was a slight pause. Then he asked, more quietly, "What is the reason for your coming here?"

"He killed Lily!" Snape cried.

"I don't understand," said Dumbledore, "I was not aware that you and Miss Evans – Mrs Potter, I should say – were friends. In fact, I believed that you were rather disparaging of her muggle roots – something I always found rather odd, when you consider who your own father was."

"I never liked muggles, I suppose, because of him. That was why I was put into Slytherin, with my mother's pureblood heritage, and my hatred for muggles, and by extension, muggle-borns. He was never quite what you would call an exemplary father," Snape replied.

"But Lily?" Dumbledore prompted.

"I – this is not easy for me to say...I l-loved her"

"You loved her?" Dumbledore was surprised.

"How could anyone _not_ love her? She was so- so beautiful," he sobbed, "and talented, and so _good_. I've never been, and what's more, I've never known anyone that I could hold in such high regard. Everyone always betrayed me in the end, but not _her_."

He paused.

"Then _I _betrayed _her_."

"…By informing Voldemort of the prophecy," Dumbledore surmised.

"Well, yes, but it was also so much _more _than that, and even long before. I betrayed her every time I brushed away her attempts to protect me from James, every time I called her a mudblood…and every time I never told her how I felt about her."

There was a long silence.

"Why…are you telling me this?" Dumbledore asked, "What is it that you hope to achieve?"

"I…wanted to get it off my chest…wanted to tell someone who would understand. Before I go to Azkaban. I wanted someone to know that I never meant to betray Lily, though I already did it every day."

"Severus…for what it is worth, I believe you."

Snape gave a heavy sigh.

"Thank you."

* * *

Dumbledore continued musing long after Severus had Flooed out of his office, though his musings were of a different subject to his former thoughts.

Severus Snape's foray into the Dark Arts had long troubled him. The youth's intelligence even at such a young age, and his fascination with the Dark Arts reminded uneasily him of a young Tom Riddle, though he had much more affection for the former. He had long hoped that the boy might see the light. Well, he had his wish.

It was just a shame that it had taken the loss of two of the brightest students the aged wizard had ever known to bring the change about.

After long deliberation, Dumbledore decided on his course of action.

He must protect Severus, now that he was truly convinced that Severus had returned to the side of good.

That meant convincing the Ministry that Severus had changed sides _before_ the defeat of Lord Voldemort. After all, Barty Crouch would never believe that someone who had defected the ranks of Voldemort _after_ his downfall was truly genuine. No, Dumbldore knew how to ensure that Severus could remain free.

After all, his own grief and guilt would be punishment enough for the young man.

Dumbledore stood up, and prepared to visit the Ministry.


End file.
